


The Shadows Come After Dark

by Diaryofanarcissisticgayman



Series: Our Fate is Ours to Decide [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Altered Mental States, Character Death, Kidnapping, Loads of smut, M/M, Magic!AU, Smut too, Trauma, burn victim, posession
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-02
Updated: 2014-03-01
Packaged: 2018-01-03 06:07:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1066985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diaryofanarcissisticgayman/pseuds/Diaryofanarcissisticgayman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Driving on country roads after dark has an uncomfortable feeling to it. In the daylight everything is sharp. Clear. At night though, the shadows have a way of altering your perception. The tiniest movement can make the blood pound almost deafeningly in your ears . Shadows on the side of the road can become nightmares for the blink of an eye. The steering wheel can freeze your grip so much it physically hurts. </p><p>And then that second passes and nothing feels wrong. The steering wheel is just leather, and the shadows are just shadows. Your heart is still racing in your chest but the world outside your vehicle is just dark. Not menacing. Not dangerous. Just dark.</p><p>~~~</p><p>A tragic fire sets events 1000 years in the making into play and everyone seems to know something about it except for Harry. Niall takes him in the dead of night with nothing except a promise, a kiss, and a pair of handcuffs keeping him attached to the car door.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This story is on hiatus until I can completely overhaul it. Please, for my dignity, do not read it.

Prologue

Driving on country roads after dark has an uncomfortable feeling to it. In the daylight everything is sharp. Clear. At night though, the shadows have a way of altering your perception. The tiniest movement can make the blood pound through your ears deafeningly. Shadows can become nightmares for the blink of an eye. The steering wheel can freeze your grip so much it physically hurts. 

And then that second passes and nothing feels wrong. The wheel is just leather and the shadows are just shadows. Your heart is still racing in your chest but the world outside your vehicle is just dark. Not menacing. Not dangerous. Just dark.

“Where exactly are we going?” Harry asks angrily, his words cutting white hot through over two hours of stagnant silence.

Niall nearly jumps out of his skin. They’re on a back road outside Blackrock and he’s been driving since midnight. He doesn't handle the dark too well. It’s not just some childish fear, he knows what the nights do and don’t hold. It just makes him feel uncomfortable. He doesn't dare take his eyes off the road while he responds in a needlessly hushed tone “I can’t tell you. Just trust me and know that it’s safe. I would never put or leave you in harm’s way”

Harry shifts uncomfortably in his seat. Ever since the fire Niall had been on the edge, and Harry was afraid he was going to lose Niall before he could figure out how to help him. The fire had been the start of a life on the run, and he knew it. Niall had called Liam once to check on Louis’ condition but hadn't talked to anyone else since then. The phone call lasted less than a minute and was from a payphone. The strangest thing about the whirlwind surrounding that night however was Niall. He almost seemed to have anticipated it all. Harry knew now the reasons for it, but that night had confused Harry more than any event in his entire life. 

‘Has it really only been two nights?’ Harry wondered absentmindedly. ‘Did my life really change this much in just two nights?’ He tugs at the handcuff surrounding his wrist again. He’d given up on testing it anymore and just readjusted it instead.


	2. Chapter 1

It’s Harry’s 21st birthday and his party is in full swing. There are over 100 people in the London hotel penthouse the lads had rented for the occasion. Harry has had his eye on Niall all night, because the blond boy just keeps popping up at the most unexpected times and scaring him. He’d already had to change shirts twice because he’d spilled his drink on them when Niall decided to scare the living daylights out of Harry.

He couldn't really say he minded though because his Irish friend had planned and thrown this whole bash for him. That wasn't the only reason, but it was the only reason he needed.

“Harry mate, you keep giving me the stink eye and I’m bound to get the wrong impression and leave your bum here alone.” Niall giggled, sitting on the sofa after noticing Harry staring at him multiple times in the last half hour.

“There are like a billion people here Niall, I’m hardly alone.” Harry replied, trying his hardest to remain straight faced.

“Well let me get outta your hair then Curly. I’ll leave you here and in an hour you’ll be begging me to come back and brighten your life with my sparkling personality.” Niall said, pushing himself off the plush sofa, not without some difficulty as the couch was entirely too squishy.

Harry caught him by the wrist and yanked him bodily back onto the couch. “Oh no! You are not leaving my birthday party just because I’m giving you a justly deserved stink eye for ruining two silk shirts with champagne.”

“Silk me bum! I gave you both of those shirts last year and they are not silk! One of them was from a thrift store for god’s sake. It’s from the 80's and has probably had worse spilled on it than that.” Niall laughs.

“It’s the thought that counts! Also ew.” Harry replies laughing at Niall’s fake incredulous look.

“Excuse me Your Majesty, I didn't realize that a shirt worn by Jim Morrison was too common for you to put upon your delicate royal skin.” Niall says sarcastically.

“No way! It was not worn by Jim Morrison!” Harry yells disbelieving.

“Yeah actually it was. It’s not really from a thrift shop. I had to search for 3 months and pay eight hundred pounds for it to his estate.” Niall muttered while flushing a dark red.

“Why would you pay eight hundred pounds for a shirt that’s not even for you? And why didn't you tell me so I could put it in a shrine?” Harry questions, probably a little too loudly, but nobody pays him and attention, even if it is his birthday party.

“I thought you’d really like it.” Niall shrugs “and then I thought you’d probably put up a fuss about me spending that kind of money on you even though I have more money than I need and you’re like my favorite person in the world. So I just didn't tell you about it.”

Harry can’t help it, he surges forward and wraps Niall up in the tightest hug he can manage. It lasts a little too long to be normal, and Harry might get more out of it than Niall does, but Harry really doesn't mind and he can tell Niall doesn't either. “You’re my favorite person too Nialler. Now let’s go get a drink in you because I don’t think I've seen you take a drink of alcohol all night and that’s incredibly worrying.”

 

When Harry was woken up by the smoke detectors Niall was right by his side wearing a shirt tied around his face. He pulled Harry out of the bed with one arm and pushed a cloth to Harry’s face with the other. “Don’t take this away from your face until we’re out of the hotel. It will stop most of the soot from getting in your throat. Now get down on your free hand and knees and crawl out the door. The hallway is pretty clear of smoke.” Niall spoke calmly, almost unnervingly so.

“Niall what’s going on? What ha-” Harry started to ask before Niall cut him off.

“Just go Harry. Get out and check if Zayn got out. I’m going after Liam and Louis.” At this Niall pushed Harry towards the hall and started towards the shared bathroom between Harry and Louis’ rooms. 

Harry crawled towards the door coughing into the cloth Niall had handed him. When he reached the hallway he instinctively stood and then started to run towards Zayn’s room. Zayn was standing in the hallway staring almost angrily at a burning beam that had fallen just past Harry’s door, blocking the hallway. Harry worried for the other boys, for now though he and Zayn had to get out and call 999. “Zayn! Move!”

When he heard Harry’s voice he snapped to attention and looked up. “The others! What about Liam and Louis and Niall?”

“Niall is getting them. He knows what he’s doing I think. Do you have your phone?” When he reached Zayn he tugged the boy in the other direction down the stairs.

“Yeah. I called 999 when I woke up. They’re on their way.” Zayn responded. Suddenly his eyes widened as a small explosion rocked the flat from the kitchen directly under Louis’ room.

 

Niall had spent a moment rummaging through the bathroom for towels to wet. They would help Louis and Liam breathe when he found them. He’d just finished retying one around his face when the world exploded under him. The kitchen, Niall thought to himself, The fire must have hit the gas line. It’s spreading too fast. He gathered himself and headed into the chaos that was Louis’ flaming room.

When Niall reached the room he immediately heard a muffled screaming. “Louis? Louis! Where are you?”

He turned to see Louis’ bed on fire and flipped upside down into the corner of the room. Liam charged into the room from the hallway. Niall handed him a wet towel and they nodded to each other. They ran to the side of the bed and pushed it off the screaming form of Louis. The boy’s clothes were on fire. Liam reached down unthinking and tore the shirt off of Louis exposing the burned flesh underneath. “Take off his pants!” Niall said while slipping his own mask off to tie around Louis’ face.

Liam complied wordlessly pulling off Louis’ pajama bottoms. Niall leaned down to slip the mask over Louis’ face. He’d stopped screaming and was now sobbing into Niall’s hands “I know it hurts hon, we’re going to cover you up with these towels and that’ll help. Liam can you carry him while I find a safe way out?” Niall asked in a calming voice.

Liam nodded and they wrapped Louis in the towels. Niall ran into the hallway and saw Zayn and Harry on the other side of a burning beam. “Get out! We've got Louis but he’s going to need an ambulance right away! We’ll get out through Harry’s room!”

He ran back into Louis’ room and signaled to Liam to go through Harry’s bathroom. When they reached the hallway he led Liam down the stairs and out the door. Harry and Zayn were gone. Niall turned to Liam and looked him in the eyes “I need you to get him out. Take the stairwell not the elevator. I’m going to get the other residents out of the building.”

Liam looked at Niall questioningly “Are you sure? Are the other two out yet?”

Niall nodded “I got Harry out first and he got Zayn when I checked the hall. The fire is spreading too quickly to wait for firemen to get these people out. And I’m sure he needs an ambulance.”

“Okay. I hear sirens so don’t take too long. Firemen will be there to get the bottom floors out. You just get the upper floors okay mate? We need you safe.” Liam commanded.

After finishing they entered the stairwell, Niall exiting at the next door and Liam continuing down. When he burst through the door he found several guests already in the halls. Harry tapped him on the shoulder. “I figured we’d need to help get people out. Zayn is on the floor below us. Where are the others?”

“Liam is taking Louis outside. He’s burned pretty badly and needs to get to the hospital. I think the fire trucks are on the way, we could hear the siren from the stairwell. You grab Zayn and get out. I can handle getting the rest of the floor. Make sure that Liam stays outside and doesn't play the hero, and don’t go anywhere without me okay Harry?” Niall said, panic finally starting to show in his eyes.

“I won’t. Are you sure you don’t need help?” he asked.

“Nope, I’ll be fine. You got pretty much everyone already. All that’s left is the ones around the corner. Now go!” He shoved Harry towards the stairwell and took off past him to get the last few rooms. He was relieved to see the guests already heading out into the hallway. He helped an older woman down the stairwell and entered the crowd searching for Harry and the others. They were surrounding some paramedics putting a mask on Louis to help him breathe. 

“He needs to go to the hospital immediately. We can take two of you. Who is it?” one paramedic said, her voice immediately commanding the situation.

“Take Zayn and Liam. We’ll follow. Which hospital are you taking him to?” Niall said before the others could speak. 

“Royal London. Get there quickly if you want to see him before surgery.”

“Will do. Take care of him ma’am, he’s very important to us.” Niall said taking Harry by the wrist and tugging him off in the direction of the parking garage.

“What are you doing? Do you have a car? Do you have the keys?” Harry asked.

Niall nodded wordlessly. He pulled Harry into the elevator and went to the top floor. They walked up to a very plain green car. Niall clicked on the key fob and said to Harry “Get in. I need to check something and then we’ll go.”

Harry climbed into the car. Niall opened the trunk and quickly closed it. Suddenly the sky opened up and a deluge poured down like it was trying to compete with the Flood of the Ark. Harry blinked and wondered to himself if there had even been clouds out before, he had been too busy to notice but he didn’t think there had. Niall climbed in, his blonde hair sticking to his forehead like it was plastered there. In the back a few rebellious pieces stood up despite the weight of the water. Harry laughed to himself despite the terrible circumstances of the night. Niall looked at him questioningly while turning the keys in the ignition. Harry reached over petting Niall’s rogue cowlick down. “You had some strays” Harry laughed suddenly feeling guilty for it. “I’m sorry. I shouldn't be laughing. Let’s go.”

Niall said something under his breath and then pulled out and left the garage. The rain cut off almost as suddenly as it had started and Harry looked up into the sky out the window thinking about how strange and terrifying the night had been.

 

Niall got on a road and Harry spaced out thinking of the night’s events. The car came to a stop and Harry came back to reality. It had been half an hour and they were still not at the hospital. Harry looked around and realized they weren't even in London anymore. He turned to Niall and asked “Where are we? Aren't we going to the hospital?”

“No” Niall said quietly, eyes hidden in the shadows.

“What do you mean no? What about Louis?” Harry asked not understanding what Niall was talking about.

Niall said “We can’t.” 

After this he unbuckled his seat belt and got out of the car. Harry sat in stunned silence for a moment. Niall walked a little bit up the road and stopped by a light. He sat and cradled his face in his hands. Harry got out of the car and walked over to his friend. He sat next to him and held him to his chest. “Niall this isn't your fault mate. Tonight has been stressful for all of us. Do you want to call and tell the boys we’re going to be a little longer? We can wait until you feel better.” 

Niall nodded his head never looking at Harry. Harry pulled his mobile out of his pocket and handed it to the little blonde. Niall stood up and walked a bit away with the phone. Harry stayed sitting, Niall had never been able to sit while on the phone so this wasn't unusual. What was unusual was when Niall threw Harry’s phone down the storm drain. Harry realized too late what had happened and jumped to his feet.

Harry had never been one to yell but he was furious. Louis had been taken to the hospital. He had severe burns and had been unconscious. Their friend could be dying and Niall was losing his fucking mind! Harry was seeing red and Niall was calm as could be.

Harry absolutely had not struck any of the boys before in anger. Yes they had all fought at times but he had never flat out hit one of them. Even he was surprised when his fist crashed into Niall’s face. The difference in the boys’ bodies was completely evident when Niall crumpled to the side of the road. Harry had several inches on Niall and was significantly more muscular, even after all of the hard work that Niall had put into his work outs . Niall looked up at Harry, hurt showing in his eyes, but said nothing. Niall looked back to the ground as if he were the one who was ashamed. “I’m sorry…”

He stood slowly and dusted himself off. Harry walked in circles away and began swearing under his breath. His mutterings soon became louder until the boy was yelling. Spittle was flying from his mouth by the time he stopped in front of Niall. Niall never flinched away from the words or his friend who was screaming in his face. When Harry ran out of breath, which was a long time due to his wonderful lung capacity, he glared at Niall and said “I’m walking back now.”

Niall pleaded with harry until his voice cracked and his eyes welled up with tears “Hazza you can’t! I need you with me. We need to stay together. I can’t do this without you. I can’t explain right now but I need you to come with me. Harry please. Please…” 

Harry reached out to touch the quickly darkening bruise surrounding Niall’s bright blue eye. The purplish spot stood out fiercely against the boys pale skin and light hair. Harry felt guilty and got back into the car after a short embrace and an apology he only half meant.

When Niall had gotten Harry to sit back in the car he’d cried in Harry’s lap for a few moments. Harry stroked Niall’s hair feeling sorry for the boy he’d punched. Niall curled onto Harry cuddling into his chest. Suddenly he’d heard a small click. As he turned his head to check on the noise Niall pulled Harry’s face into his and kissed him. The kiss was as deep and passionate as it was startling. Niall’s hand wove around Harry’s shoulder pulling him closer. Harry stopped, frozen and unable to think. It wasn't unpleasant, on the contrary, Harry had liked Niall for quite some time. Harry had even thought that Niall might have felt something for him for a long time too, but had never wanted to force him to tell before he was ready. Harry leaned into the kiss grasping the small of the blonde boy’s back. They kissed deeply for a few seconds, Niall’s body pressed into Harry.

A sudden cold broke his stupor as Niall ducked backwards under Harry’s arm. Harry glanced at his wrist infuriated. Niall had handcuffed him to the door! The kiss had been a distraction so he could make sure Harry was trapped. Harry fumed spitting hateful words. Niall sat outside the car, knees curled to his chest tears streaming down his face.


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is short but originally the last chapter and this one were all together and I felt it dragged on too long. I really can't find a good equilibrium.

It took over an hour for Harry to calm down enough to stop yelling and crying. Niall waited several more minutes afterward to get in the car. He had clearly been crying but Harry didn’t feel guilty at all. Shortly after they started driving again Niall had stopped into a small convenience store to grab money from the ATM machine. He’d made Harry give up his card and retrieved to the limit on both. They traveled to 4 more ATMs before Niall had decided they had enough money. After that they drove silently for an hour, Harry stewing in his own anger. 

Once they’d passed Birmingham Niall had pulled over by a telephone booth and called Liam’s number. “Who the hell is this?” Liam questioned when he answered his mobile. 

“Liam, it’s-” Niall started.

“WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU TWO?” Liam roared through the speaker.

Niall had never heard the usually calm boy lose it like this and was sure that everything wasn’t going to be okay now.

“Louis is in surgery! Our mate is under a knife right now and you’re fucking missing?” he shouted without giving Niall any time to respond. “When I get my hands on you I’m pulling out your dye job and curls you sods! What? No. Get away from me Zayn. I said-” suddenly the voice shifted.

“Harry or Niall?” Zayn’s familiar voice asked.

“Niall.” 

“Where are you Niall? Why aren’t you and Harry here? Did something happen?” Zayn asked calmly, although he was clearly hiding his own rage.

“I can’t tell you.” Niall said, tears threatening to overtake him again. “I can’t tell you where we are or where we’re going. All I called for was to check on Louis and tell you we’ll be gone for a while.”

“But… Niall, what about Louis? What about the group? What about the fire?” Zayn asked, his voice breaking more with each question.

“Zayn, I have to go now. For a while at least, this is good bye.” Niall said tears running down his cheeks.

“Niall?” Zayn asked quietly

“Yes Zayn?” 

“Louis will probably be fine. Take care of Hazza for us okay?” Zayn said quietly. He was also crying, Niall could tell when Liam’s voice reached Niall. He bit his lip to keep from sobbing.

“What? Where is that sod? I’ll fucking kill him”

“I will Zayn. Take care of the boys while we’re gone. We love you guys” And with that Niall hung up the phone. 

 

Harry had stayed in the car watching Niall make the call. When Niall started crying Harry’s heart dropped. But why? He was being kidnapped by his best friend, and secret crush no less. Niall sat on a bench after hanging up and the sky opened up and started to rain again. The call hadn’t lasted long at all, maybe a minute, so why was Niall so distraught? Had Louis died? ‘No, he couldn’t have’ Harry thought ‘Louis can’t be dead. That boy is too strong to die this young.’ 

When the rain had started Niall stood up and made his way to the car, walking slowly as if he didn’t mind the drops one bit. Niall climbed into the driver’s seat soaking wet and turned the ignition. He wiped away the tears clinging to his cheeks, wincing where he touched the black eye. “Louis is going to be fine” he said without looking at Harry. “Can I trust you to stay with me at an inn tonight? Or I can leave the car parked in a lot and we’ll sleep inside it.”

Harry glared at Niall with unbelievable rage. “What? An inn? Are you fucking serious? Louis is in the hospital and we’re just taking a trip to stay in Birmingham for the night?”

Niall choked back a sob before responding “Harry we can’t go back there. I don’t want to go any more than you do. But now we have to. If we sleep at an inn will you run away or call anyone? I really need you to just listen to me and know that we can’t go home. But I’ll give you the option to choose whether we sleep in a bed or a car seat.” 

As much as Harry hated to admit it he’d become accustomed to a certain level of comfort in the last few years. And it was getting muggy outside already. The sound of rain pounding on the windows of the car filled the silence for several moment until Harry swallowed and asked “Why can’t we go back? Why is it exactly that we ran away? Why are you doing this Niall?” He knew tears were about to fall, but he didn’t care. “Why are you doing this to me?”

“Because Harry, it has to be done.” Niall said, turning away.

The rain poured harder, threatening to consume the world until it was nothing but water. Harry found himself sounding weak with despair and fear “Why? I love you Niall. I trust you. But you can’t just kidnap me. You can’t just take me away when Louis needs me. You can’t just take away my entire life! This isn’t right. It isn’t fair. It-”

Niall jumped forward and kissed him again. This time was different. Harry enjoyed the salty taste of their tears mixing on their lips. His body leaned into the kiss against everything that his instincts were telling him. His rage bubbled but he had waited so long to kiss Niall that it didn’t rise to the surface. Harry’s unchained hand came up to caress Niall’s cheek, running his fingers over the smooth wet surface of the other boy’s face. The rain started to lighten up outside the car and the world seemed to stop on that moment in time. After a few seconds though his emotions took control and Harry pushed Niall away. “You can’t keep doing that! Stop trying to distract me with your lips!” 

Niall turned away his tear stained face, turning a shade of red even in the shadows. He turned back to Harry with a look which could only be described as massive guilt. Harry didn’t want to give the wrong impression and said “Listen it’s not that I don’t want you to kiss me, ok? If I could be honest I’ve wanted that for a long time.” Niall’s eye’s widened but he said nothing. “Your kisses though… You’ve only kissed me to distract me from what you’ve been doing. You’re kidnapping me Niall! You’re kidnapping me and you won’t tell me why or where we’re going. I don’t want to be here getting ambushed in the dark while Louis is in surgery. I-“ he stopped, letting the sound of raindrops fill the silence, before admitting in a quiet voice “I’m scared Niall.”

“Oh Hazza… Don’t be scared. I care about you and nothing will ever hurt you. But for now I can’t risk telling you where we’re going or let you out of my sight. I know this night has been unbelievably hard on you but it’ll all be over soon” He reached his hand towards Harry’s face, touching the tear covered cheek “For now though I think it best if I make the decision for you. Dèan cadal”

“What the hell does that mean Niall? Wha-” and then the darkness closed in around Harry Styles.


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mortification is the foundation of any budding relationship.

When Harry woke up he was still handcuffed but now it was to the bed. They were in a hotel room and late afternoon sunlight was streaming in through the curtain. Niall was watching him curiously and playing with Harry’s hair. Briefly Harry wondered what sexual events had led them to this position and blushed deeply. He reached down to cover himself with the comforters.

Then the memories of everything from the night before hit him like a hurricane. Niall had kidnapped him! Louis was in the hospital. Something had made Harry pass out. Harry sat upright quickly and slapped Niall’s hands away from his bangs. “What the hell Niall? Why are we here? Why am I naked?”

“You’re not! I didn’t take off your underwear. I just know you generally like to sleep naked so I tried to make you comfortable.” Niall blushed.

Harry didn’t have to look under the comforter to confirm what Niall had said, he suddenly felt the tightness of a morning in underwear. He blushed and covered himself with the pillow Niall had been laying on, sending Niall flying off the edge of the bed. He picked himself up and blushed, turning away from Harry. “I’ve put some clothes on the other bed. You can’t really put the shirt on but the trousers are there too.”

“You’re really still not going to uncuff me? Wait a minute how did I get in here and where are we?”

“I can’t tell you until I can trust you won’t try to run away. I’ve already unplugged the phone and paid the staff well to make sure we aren’t disturbed or found by the paps or the police. I carried you in here after I paid for the room.” Niall said looking almost pained.

“But what happened to me last night? Why did I pass out? Did you drug me?” Harry asked on the verge of tears.

“For now it’s best if I say yes I suppose.” Harry had no idea what to say about that cryptic answer. “Will you make things easier or more difficult? If you trust me, if you promise to just do like I say for 2 more days, I’ll let you out of the cuffs.” Niall said his voice unsuccessfully attempting to be steely.

“I don’t know what you want from me Niall. If you just tell me I’ll help you in any way I can. You know me Niall. We’re friends. All need is a little bit of trust from you too. Help me understand what’s happened here. Why did we have to run away?” Suddenly a horrible thought occurred to Harry. “Was…was it you who started the fire?”

Niall bit his lip afraid to answer. Finally he looked at Harry eyes full of sorrow “No Harry, it wasn’t me. I didn’t start the fire… You did.”

Harry sat in stunned silence for over five minutes. Normally he would have scoffed it off and called Niall crazy but something in the boy’s tone told Harry he was telling the truth. Finally he lifted his head, green eyes meeting blue “What do you mean? I was sleeping Niall. I was asleep when it started.”

“I know Hazza.” Harry glared at Niall when he used his nickname but did not interrupt. “There are some things I can’t tell you right now. Some things you have to wait to know. But I promise things will make sense soon. Everything will be alright soon.”

“If I promise to listen to you will you please tell me anything else you can about what’s happening?” Harry bargained, hoping that his friend would tell him something, anything that would help him understand.

“Yes. I’ll tell you one more thing. I shouldn’t but I will.” Niall said sounding defeated.

“Fine. I promise to listen to you. I’ll trust you Niall but if I don’t believe you’re telling me the truth then I’m walking out.”

“Okay.” Niall reached over Harry’s body, causing the chocolate haired boy an uncomfortable reaction under the covers, and undid the cuff on his wrist. Niall was quietly surprised when Harry stood up and then sat down on the other bed. Harry started dressing himself while Niall adjusted to a sitting position and kept his head down so as not to offend the other boy. When Harry had finished dressing he looked at Niall expectantly. Finally he had to clear his throat loudly to attract Niall’s attention away from his own knees. “Well you said you’d tell me one more thing?”

Niall looked back down to his knees and started picking at a hole in the jeans. “What exactly did you want to know? I can’t tell you a bunch of things but I can try to find a way around them.”

Harry sat quietly for a second trying to decide which fucked up thing to ask about “Do you know where we’re going? Does this kidnapping have a destination or are you just waiting until you find a spot to kill me and dump the body?”

Niall looked up with a mixture of shock and pain staining his beautiful blue eyes. “Harry I would never hurt you! I’m not some mental freak with plans to make a skin suit or something! I’m taking you somewhere special. I don’t know how to explain it without telling you things I’m not allowed to but it’s where you have to go. It’s where I have to take you actually.”

Harry sat angrily staring at his friends face. Part of him longed to hold Niall who looked on the verge of tears again, but he was too angry. Rain began to patter at the hotel window and the blonde boy looked out at it with what Harry could only describe as longing. “I know. I know you aren’t going to hurt me Niall but you’ve got to see things from my perspective. You’ve taken me from everything I know and you cut me off from talking to anyone. I’m scared and if it was anyone else I don’t know what I would have done. I care about you Niall. I care about you a lot. But everything is so wrong. Even our first kiss was wrong and I just don’t know what to think or do right now. I want to believe you when you say that everything is going to be okay but nothing is okay about the last 24 hours.” At this Harry stood up and walked to the furthest corner of the room staring into the wall as if it held all the secrets of this world. “Niall I… I hate this and right now I’m not sure I don’t hate you too.”

Niall crossed the room and slumped to his knees behind Harry. He tried to choke out a word, any word, but all that would come out was pathetic sobs in time with the sudden start of thunder outside. Harry turned around to find Niall crying and knelt down. When he came level with Niall’s blue eyes he suddenly felt guiltier than he ever had in his life. No matter what had happened he couldn’t hate Niall. This boy meant more to him than anyone in the world and he couldn’t hate him if he tried. He cradled the crying boy in his arms and sat, pulling the smaller boy onto his lap. Everything in Harry’s mind was telling him that he should run for it. Niall surely couldn’t keep up with him if Harry ran to get help, but something kept him sitting there. It was dark outside when they had both calmed down enough to talk again. Niall looked sheepishly up at Harry and said “I’m a mess. I need to go shower. I’m sorry about this but I need you to join me in there. I can’t leave you out here alone.”

Harry looked at Niall, knowing he wasn’t joking. “Umm… I… Uh…”

Niall looked at him and sighed “It’s either that or you can go back into the cuffs. I’m really sorry Harry but I need you to listen to me and you promised you would. I’m not asking you to shag me up against the shower wall, just to stay in there with me so I can keep an eye on you. You can even stand outside the shower as long as you keep your hand on the curtain rod I suppose.”

Harry felt himself getting hard and stood up, dropping Niall off of his lap. “I um… I’m pretty gross too I guess. I could probably use a shower.” He never looked at Niall, but he headed into the bathroom none the less. The bathroom was spacious, bigger than Harry expected. He stood over by the sink, staring into his own eyes willing away his erection, while Niall walked in rubbing the sore spot on his bum where Harry had dropped him. “Um actually can you stand outside real quick but keep your hand on the wall in here?” Niall asked. Harry looked at him questioningly and he simply said “Need to piss.” 

Harry blushed and complied, keeping his hand on the doorframe, but standing outside the bathroom. He heard the sound of the shower start and then several moments later a flush. He waited until Niall walked over and opened the door before he turned back around. Harry turned a brilliant shade of red when he noticed Niall had disrobed and was only wearing a towel. “Do you need to use it now? I can leave you alone in here. There aren’t any windows or anything.”

“Yeah, I guess I should huh?” Harry stammered, barely able to form a coherent thought. 

“Just don’t take too long. Showers at inns can be a bit moody and I know we both like them hot.” Niall said as he stepped out.

“I won’t.” Harry said hurriedly. He stepped through the door, closing it behind him, and slapped himself in the face. “Stop it!” he hissed to himself. “This is so not the time for this.” He used the toilet, took his shirt off (The room was heating up, that’s all…), and opened the door back up for Niall. 

The boy was sitting on the closest bed and muttering at himself too low for Harry to hear. When he heard Harry he looked up turning a bright shade of red before walking back into the room. He walked to the shower and looked at Harry before stepping inside and taking off the towel. The towel was tossed over the curtain and Harry reached up to grab ahold of the rod as per their agreement. 

 

Niall stood beneath the hot water, reveling in its ability to relieve the tension in his neck and shoulders. He wet the cloth provided, placed the bar of soap inside, and proceeded to wipe down his body. Occasionally he glanced up to see Harry’s hand but said nothing so as to avoid making him more uncomfortable. He said nothing when a slight rustling noise happened on the other side of the curtain. As long as the hand stayed there he would be satisfied and not do anything to upset Harry further.

Niall nearly jumped out of his skin when he turned around after rinsing the front of his body to find Harry standing stark naked behind him. Harry clamped a hand over Niall’s mouth to stifle the scream that had come out of the small boy’s throat. “Hush that now. Do you want our neighbors to think someone is getting murdered or something?”

Niall turned several shades of red underneath Harry’s hands but closed his mouth. “Are you sure you want to get in now? I’m not quite done but I can get out and finish after you, I guess.” He reached for the curtain but Harry grabbed his wrist. With his other hand Harry grabbed Niall by the small of his back and pulled himself closer. “Harry I-” Niall stuttered, mind unable to focus on anything besides the feel of Harry’s body pressed against his own.

Harry leaned down and whispered in his ear “Relax, I’m not asking you to let me shag you against the wall. You were just taking a long time and I wanted to be in the hot water.”

Niall felt himself hardening against Harry’s leg and blushed before looking to Harry’s face. A smirk crawled across Harry’s features and for a moment both of them forgot everything else besides the feel of their wet bodies under the hot shower water. Niall leaned into Harry and placed his hand on the taller boy’s chest. “Is it okay if I kiss you now or would that just make you angry again?” Niall asked tentatively.

Harry didn’t say anything and instead leaned down and pressed his lips to the smaller boy’s. He slid one hand to the blonde’s wet neck and kept the other planted firmly on the boy’s lower back. The hot water rushed over their bodies as Niall rubbed circles around the taller boy’s nipple. Harry moaned into the kiss, encouraging Niall to continue. A wet hand made its way down to Harry’s erection and he gasped pulling away from the kiss momentarily. Niall smiled, knowing he had Harry where he wanted him now. 

He turned Harry so as to make his back face the spray and knelt down. Harry’s hands slid to Niall’s shoulders and the smaller boy took Harry’s erection into his mouth. He sucked on Harry’s cock, unsure as to how he was doing but encouraged by the moans coming from Harry’s mouth. Niall ran one hand over Harry’s back settling finally on grabbing a hold of his ass. The other hand came up to help massage the cock in his mouth and Harry gasped again. Niall swirled his tongue around the head bringing Harry closer to climax. “Niall… I’m close. I’m going to-”

 

The shower curtain opened and Niall’s head peaked out bringing a mortified Harry back to reality. “I’m all done. You ready to get… in?” He glanced down to see where Harry had taken his erection out of his jeans and been stroking it. Niall blushed and quickly popped his head back into the shower. “Um I can wait for you to finish mate. Or you can do it in here I guess. Actually why don’t you hop in and I’ll just go to the room and dry off okay?”

Harry covered himself up and waited for Niall to get out before sitting in the shower and curled up against the side crying.

 

When Harry emerged from the bathroom almost an hour later Niall knew better than to say anything about what had happened. Instead he pointed out to Harry where some food was sitting on the table. “I ordered room service. They don’t have a great selection so I just got spaghetti. It’s hard to fuck up spaghetti.”

Harry said nothing and walked over to the table. He sat down and started to eat. The entire time he ate neither of them said a word. Finally Harry covered back up the spaghetti and crawled into the free bed.

Niall sat quietly for a moment before walking to Harry’s bed and sitting on the corner. “Mate it’s fine what happened in there. We’re guys and sometimes it just needs to be done. It’s a great way to get rid of stress. I’m not judging you. I understand how hard this is on you and… I’m sorry.”

“It wasn’t fine Niall!” Harry shouted “It was embarrassing as all fuck!”

“Harry, we’ve all walked in on one another in some kind of compromising position before. It’s not like it’s something so outrageous. You weren’t… I don’t know… fucking a goat or something mate.”

Harry didn’t look at Niall but quietly he said “It was you.”

“What was me?” Niall asked.

“The fantasy. It was you. I was thinking about you okay?” Harry sat up, still refusing to look directly at Niall. “So don’t sit there and tell me it was all just fine because it isn’t! It was stupid to do it with you right there and I shouldn’t have been thinking of you at all. I know you don’t think about me that way and…”

Niall placed his hand over Harry’s and sighed. “Mate it is fine. I’m flattered you like me that way, even now. I won’t lie and say I’ve never thought of you like that either. I actually have several times. It just can’t happen right now, for several reasons, some more obvious than others. In the future though if you’re still interested maybe we can try? I’d like that a lot.”

Harry sat in stunned silence. Is this really happening? he thought. “Are you serious or are you just trying to calm me down so I won’t run away?” he asked without being able to look the other boy in the eye.

“Listen to me Hazza” Niall said, turning Harry’s face to meet his own “I like you a lot. More than I should actually. I want to be with you but right now isn’t the time. I really do care about you though. I promise.” Then he gave Harry a quick kiss. 

It only lasted briefly but it held a promise of a future where they could try to be normal again. Harry smiled weakly and then said “So when are we leaving?”

“Tonight actually. I figured I’d give you another hour before we left but if you’re ready we can go now.”

“Can we just sit here for a bit? I like having you holding me instead for once.” 

“Sure Hazza. I like it too.”

Harry curled up and laid his head down onto Niall’s lap. Niall played with the chocolate curls for a while until Harry stood up and said “Alright, let’s move out. Better to get wherever as soon as possible I guess.”

“Alright then.” Niall said “Let’s go.”

 

Niall checked out while Harry sat patiently in the car. He didn’t run, even though every fiber of his being told him to. Instead he sat uncuffed and thinking. The sky was cloudless and the moon was shining brightly. The weather had been a little erratic as of late and Harry was glad the sky was clear. Niall walked out and got in the car. He looked at Harry, happy to see him still in the passenger seat. “Thank you.” He said out loud.

“What for?” Harry asked, knowing the answer but wanting to hear the answer anyway.

“Thank you for trusting me enough to stay. Thank you for not making this more difficult. Thank you for being here.” Niall said dutifully, already knowing what Harry was thinking.

“Honestly I’m a little intrigued now. I’m still angry and afraid but I’m damn curious.” Harry admitted.

“I promise where we’re going will blow your mind. You’ve never been somewhere so amazing.” Niall smiled. “It’s important that you come with me and it means a lot that you’re even somewhat willing now.”

They buckled their seat belts and started to drive. Niall never drove on main highways, preferring to stick to side roads despite the longer trip. They passed Liverpool after a few hours and after that Niall stuck to coastal roads. 

 

At one point Niall decided that they should stretch their legs and he pulled over on the side of the road. They sat on the hood of the car and stared out at the reflection of the moonlight glittering on the ocean. 

“Harry?” Niall broke the silence.

“Hmm?” Harry grunted

“Umm… Can I kiss you now? Everything is so pretty and you look so perfect in the moonlight and I just wanted to kiss you…” Harry stared at Niall, expression indecipherable “Never mind. Forget I asked. That was stupid of me.” Niall got up and tried to get back into the car. 

Harry grabbed his hand and pulled him back onto the hood. His other hand caressed Niall’s neck and pressed their lips together. This kiss was finally perfect. Their lips melded together beautifully and they stayed attached for a long time. Time felt irrelevant and the world belonged to them in that moment. The kiss wasn’t really sexual, instead it seemed to just be the two boys just holding each other in a perfect moment. Niall eventually reluctantly pulled away and looked into Harry’s green eyes. “Harry…”

Harry leaned back down and kissed Niall lightly on the nose before standing up and getting back into the car. Niall climbed in and silently started the car. They drove off both feeding off of the silent words filling the space.


	5. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> By the way in this story Harry has asthma.

Dawn was peaking over the horizon when Niall said that they’d reach Ayr. Harry had little idea as to why they were in such a tiny town but said nothing. Niall pulled into a twenty-four hour pharmacy and left Harry in the car. Several minutes later he emerged with 2 small bags and a sad look on his face. He set them down on the floor and drove to a small hotel. They checked in with a woman so old she must’ve witnessed the crucifixion and went to the room. “I’m sorry Harry. I really am. But we’re too recognizable. It helps that we haven’t shaved for a few days but your baby face isn’t growing much hair.” At this he pulled out a pair of scissors and a cloth. 

Harry looked horrified at the objects in Niall’s hands. “NO! No I can’t! My hair is like my baby! And I do not have a baby face! My face and hair are manly as hell!”

“Harry you are one of the most recognizable people in the entire UK. The only reason the woman at the desk had no idea who we are is because she was a billion years old. We need to disguise you because we’ll be around a lot of people today. I’m already taking a risk letting you come with me outside. I’m constantly afraid you’ll run off and at this stage that would be a very bad thing. I need you to either cut your hair or promise me you’ll do exactly as I say today no questions asked. Not a single one.” Niall said flatly. 

“I promise alright? I’ll behave myself and keep my head down. Hell I’ll wear a burqa if you want! Just don’t touch my hair.” Harry agreed quickly. Nobody was cutting his hair.

Niall laughs out loud at the image and then put the scissors back in the bag. Out of the other bag he grabbed two boxes. “Alright. But we still have to dye it.” Harry’s eyes widened and he began to stammer. “Don’t worry Hazza. It’s a temporary dye. It’ll only last a day or two. I promise.”

Harry reluctantly followed Niall into the bathroom. They stripped off their shirts and began the awful smelling process of using a boxed dye on their hair. Niall seemed to enjoy running the noxious substance through Harry’s hair. He smiled the entire time, laughing out loud when a rogue curl plastered itself to Harry’s forehead. “You look like superman!”

“I look ridiculous.” Harry grumbled, smiling in spite of himself, because he did indeed have a Clark Kent swirl.

“You look adorable as always Har. Stop pouting.” 

“Never. Look what you’ve made me do. My hair isn’t perfect anymore.” Harry whined. He wasn’t really as upset as he seemed but he liked when Niall smiled at him and laughed his musical laugh.

“You’re always perfect Har.” Niall laughed.

After the dye had settled they each had to shower in order to rinse it out. Harry kept his urges to himself this time and only showered. Afterwards the towels were stained a light greyish purplish shade and the boys had changed their most recognizable features. When the boys emerge from the bathroom a little while later their hair was dyed black and Harry’s was flattened. Harry seemed incredibly unhappy but Niall looked unphased. “How can you be so calm about this? We look awful! I was not meant to deviate from brown hair Niall! People may think you look better with dyed hair but the consensus is that I don’t!”

Niall laughed and walked over to where Harry stood pouting and circled his hands around his waist. “Hazza you look fantastic. Now stop being so vain. I like the way you look no matter what your hair looks like. You could dye it orange and buzz it down and I’d still think you were gorgeous.”

Harry blushed but quickly went back to scowling “I’m not vain. Image just means a lot in our business Niall. My hair is like my trademark or something. It’s what people recognize the most about me.”

“Oh really?” Niall smirked “I thought it was your amazing smile and incredibly sexy singing voice, but please by all means go on about how an international superstar is famous for his hair.”

“Two words mate,” Harry smiled “Justin. Bieber.”

Niall laughed and pecked Harry on the cheek “You win this round Hazza but I still say you look stunning.”

It was almost easy to forget what the truth was about them being here. Almost.

Harry blushed again but said nothing. They packed up what little they had brought into the room. Niall asked Harry to stay in the room while he went to the car. When he returned he was pulling two suitcases behind him. Harry looked at them suspiciously. “Alright now we need to dress differently. Our clothes are mostly super expensive and that doesn’t really fit in in a small Scottish town.” Niall said as if nothing was wrong.

Harry fumed. Suitcases meant planning. Nothing about this was just spur of the moment like Harry had believed. Niall had planned the events of the last several days and that infuriated Harry. “How long have you been planning this Niall? How long were you waiting to just run off with me? How long ago did you decide to set a fire to distract people while you kidnapped me?”

Niall eyed Harry who was breathing so heavily Niall feared he’d have an asthma attack. “Harry… I can’t tell you about that right now without you just getting madder. Please Harry. You said you’d trust me and I need you to do that right now.”

“NO! I’ve had enough of just trusting you! You tell me right now or I walk out of this room.” Harry spat the words out like they were poisonous. “Tell me god damn it!”

Niall looked down to his shoes and whispered something inaudible to Harry. “What did you say? How fucking long Niall?”

“Since before we met. Since before we were on X-Factor. I was sent for you years ago. I belong to a group known as the Order of Mann and we’ve been waiting for you.” Niall finally said. His voice was still barely heard over the rushing blood in Harry’s ears.

Harry collapsed to his knees. ‘Sent for me?’ He thought. ‘How much of our friendship was a set up to take me where ever he is trying to take me? Should I even trust him anymore? Of course not! This is beyond just a lie. This means everything has been a lie. Every single thing since we met.’

Harry stood up and walked past Niall right out the door. “Harry wait please. I know that’s unforgivable. I know I’m asking the impossible of you right now but please don’t leave.” Niall begged. He never saw Harry’s fist until it hit him in his already blackened right eye.

 

Harry wandered around the docks, blessedly unnoticed by most people. A few passersby looked at him inquisitively, but nobody talked to him or stopped him. He had no destination in mind, no plans. He just needed to be away from Niall right now. 

He walked into a small shop and bought a pack of Marlboros and a lighter. Niall had taken his card so all he had was whatever cash was already in his wallet. He thanked the cashier and then left quickly, hoping that nobody recognized him. The last thing he needed right now was somebody knowing who he was and a stampede of fans attacking him all at once. He needed time alone right now to collect his thoughts so he wandered down the pier. He lit up a cigarette and inhaled deeply. 

He hated Zayn for getting him onto the damn things in the first place, but they were an amazing stress reliever, and after his last attempt to relieve stress he decided something that wasn’t as… hands on was in order. They may have played havoc with his asthma but sometimes it was worth it. He sat on a bench and finished the cigarette and two others trying to reconcile his thoughts about Niall. 

All of Harry’s faith in Niall had been destroyed. ‘How am I supposed to trust him now?’ He thought, more confused than angry anymore. ‘I cared about him so much but how am I just going to get over this shit? How do you accept that someone you care about is beyond crazy?’

 

‘I have to go back.’ Harry finally decided. I have to see if I can get him to tell me what’s going on. Maybe we can just go back to the way things were. He’s just snapped after the fire. None of this is real. He’s just gone mental. He needs my help. He needs me to be there instead of just beating him senseless. That’s it. None of this crap is real.’ 

‘But then why did he have a suitcase packed for me? What was he saying about some order? The Order of Man. What the hell is that? What do they want with me? I’m a singer for fuck sakes. I sing, I don’t lead cults or whatever the hell they want.’

‘I need to know what is going on. The best person to tell me that is Niall. Maybe if I threaten to go to the police he’ll tell me the truth. I have to hope so, because I need to understand what is happening here.’

After a few more moments he stood up and lit another cigarette. On his way back to the hotel room he passed a newspaper dispenser he hadn’t noticed before. The headline read One Direction singers wanted in connection to arson of hotel room and attempted murder. Harry’s eyes widened and he began to run back to the room.

 

Niall woke up to a throbbing pain in his face. ‘What the hell happened? Oh yeah, Harry hit me. Shit! Where’s Harry?’ “Harry? Harry?” Niall got to his feet and searched the hallway calling to Harry. “Fuck! He’s left the building. Fuck fuck fuck! Oh crap they’re going to be pissed.” He murmured to himself.

Niall pulled his wallet out and tore out the lining. Inside it was a slip of paper with several cities and numbers on it. He scanned the list for Ayr’s name and sighed. He walked over to the phone on the bedside table. Several deep breaths were necessary before he could dial the number written on the slip. A gruff voice, so thick with a Scottish accent it was almost tangible, answered on the other end. “Who is this? How did you get this number?”

“Oirbsen over the land, so that from him Loch Oirbsen.” Niall recited, the words feeling almost stale on his tongue.

“This was the first Manannan. What need you agent of Mann? Are you ready to leave?” the voice answered.

“The instrument has escaped from the hotel. I need your help to track him down.” Niall said quietly, waiting for the onslaught that would surely come.

Silence. The line was silent for so long that Niall was almost positive the man had hung up on him. Then the gravelly voice came through the line “It is to be expected young one. To trust this job to one such as yourself was a mistake. I will find the boy and bring him to the Order.”

“You’re taking me too. I messed up but I endured this for years and hurt someone I care about very much to get him out here. I won’t be left behind.”

“Fine. Wait at the hotel. I’ll get you when I’ve found him.”

“No chance. I’ll drive down to the pier. I’ll buy a burner phone and be there as soon as possible. What is your boat’s name?”

“The Morrigan. You have thirty minutes. After that I’m leaving with or without you.”  
“I’ll be there.” Niall said and then hung up. “Fuck!”

 

Harry didn’t know his way around obviously. The town was small but he had no idea where he had gotten to when he ran away. ‘Damn my curiosity’ he thought furiously at himself. ‘Damn it I should have just called the police and ended this. I could have told them about the fire and the kidnapping.’

He shook those thoughts away from his head and grimaced internally when his now extremely long (BLACK!) straight hair blew into his eyes for the hundredth time. It was blowing in his eyes and he didn’t notice a short black haired lad run right past him on his way out of the hotel which Harry noted was the one he’d left Niall in.


	6. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this chapter took so long. It's been a weird few months.
> 
> Anywhoozles I promised to dedicate this chapter to Stormrage and so Stormrage, this is for you.

Niall drives to the store that he bought the hair dye from and shuffles through the disposable phones looking for something durable and somewhat water proof. Things were bound to get rough from here on out. Harry running away wasn’t going to make things any easier on any of the people involved. If Niall’s superiors found out about this before he found Harry they’d send a Hunter in a matter of hours, and even Niall couldn’t protect Harry then. 

He picks a phone off the rack and checks out with the same old lady from this morning. It costs him a good chunk of his remaining cash, but that doesn’t worry him that much. What worries him is not finding Harry before a Hunter does. He walks back out to his piece of crap car and laughs as rain breaks out again. He needs to focus on his mission but it seems like the more he says that to himself the further his mind wanders.

He hated this whole situation. He hated that he’d had to lie about his entire life to the world. He hated that his dream, a dream that he had actually managed to grasp, had to be set aside for his mission. And most of all he hated that he had had to do this to Harry, Harry who was so kind and loving. Harry who laughed at his own stupid jokes, Harry who made him a cupcake every year for his birthday since his seventeenth, Harry who he had loved like a brother and more for almost 5 years. Harry didn’t deserve any of what was happening, but it had to happen regardless of how innocent and kind he was. He started to reminisce and his mind slowly switched to auto pilot. 

He remembered a time on the tour bus. 

_Niall was upset and the rain outside was pouring so they couldn’t even go anywhere in the tiny Iowa town the bus had broken down in. Louis had taken to torturing him all morning because he had been caught in his bunk doing something that was supposed to be an alone thing. When Louis had ripped away the curtain to his bunk Niall may have screamed like a little girl and then accidentally punched himself in the face so hard he got a nosebleed. He would never admit to it of course. Normally Louis would mess with one of the boys for a while and then get distracted by something else, but today Zayn and Liam had the other bus to themselves and Harry had been pretty quiet and solitary. After about the fortieth time Louis asked if Niall needed some concealer for his eye and then burst out laughing Niall had had enough. He yelled at Louis and threw a bowl at his head. It missed but the intention was clear enough._

_“Listen up, just because you never seem to have a girlfriend, and never seem to get laid like the rest of us, doesn’t mean you get to act like a brat and throw tantrums Horan!” Louis snarled “I was just having a little fun.”_

_“At least I’m not acting like a total twat! Your jokes aren’t funny Louis!” Niall yelled._

_“As if you would even know. You’re about as funny as —-”_

_“Enough!” Harry roared. “Louis, leave him alone. He’s absolutely right today. You keep laughing at the same joke over and over again and I bet if you’d punched yourself in the face you’d be a lot crankier than Niall is.”_

_“Haz buddy I was just having a laugh. You know I didn’t mean to be mean or anything.” Louis said, immediately backing down a bit._

_“It’s done Louis. Take your bag over to the other bus and tell Liam and Zayn you’ll be sleeping in there tonight.”_

_“But I—-”_

_“No buts. He’s upset and clearly you two need to be separated. You started this whole thing barging into Niall’s bunk when the clips were up and you know what that means.” Harry said, he was cold but somehow full of fury._

_“No. I don’t want to. Besides we were going to watch a b-movie tonight and make fun of how ridiculous the dialogue was remember?” Louis pleaded._

_“Oh well. Now grab your bag and move on over to the other bus or else…” Harry said._

_“Or else what Haz? You wouldn’t hit me, not over this.” Louis retorted, suddenly full of defiance._

_“No I wouldn’t. I do however know where you’re ticklish and so help me I will have Niall sit on your chest and have Zayn tape it while I tickle you until you piss yourself and put it on twitter.”_

_“Zayn would never! You would never! ” Louis cried, outraged and blushing red as an apple._

_“You want to bet? He’s still pissed off from that thing you did with his eggs. As for me I’m so tired of hearing you pick on Niall all morning I’d do it for sure.” Harry was wearing a look as cold as ice. Niall was even a little frightened, but he was also grateful someone was on his side._

_Louis left after that, sulking the entire time he packed his bag up. Harry went back to silently drinking his tea and reading through things on his phone. Niall curled up on the sofa and glowered at everything as if it had personally killed his mum. This went on for several hours._

_Eventually Niall got off of the couch and made himself some food. He sat down next to Harry in the booth, squeezing his way under Harry’s legs rather than sit across from him. Harry looked at him with his eyebrow raised as if to say “But why? Just why…?” However he kept silent. Niall responded by shoving a slice of pizza into Harry’s mouth._

_Harry almost choked on it but managed not to die. He laid his legs down across Niall’s lap and went back to his phone. Niall ate in silence, a rare enough thing to concern anyone other than Harry. When he was done he tried to get up and throw away his dishes, Harry however had other plans. He locked his legs down, effectively pinning the Irish lad to the booth. “You’re not going anywhere until I get a thank you Horan. You two would have murdered each other if I hadn’t stepped in.” Harry said, never taking his eyes off his phone._

_“It’s not as if I asked you to now is it? And besides what do ya think that was?” Niall responded, pointing at the leftover pizza crust Harry had set on a napkin._

_“You didn’t have to ask Niall. I saw your face and you were really upset, not just displaying an Irish temper. I hate seeing you like that, it feels weird. Wrong.” Harry said, looking Niall straight in the eye now._

_Niall blushed and looked away. He hated that Harry could read him so easily and yet be so oblivious to the truth. “Whatever you say then…” he muttered._

_“Niall I’m serious.” Harry said, grabbing Niall’s face and finding his blue eyes with his own green ones. “It’s okay to be upset. If anything ever gets to be too much for you just come to me and I’ll help you forget about it in whatever way you need.”_

_Niall blushed even deeper. “I don’t need you to be me mum Haz. I have one of those if ya hadn’t noticed.” He said._

_“I’m not trying to replace Maura, Niall. God help me if I ever did, she’d find a way to kill me and make it look like kindness.” Niall laughed at that and nodded. “I’m your friend, and that’s what friends do. We help each other through anything, in any way the other might need. If you need to yell and throw things I’ll take you to a store where you can buy tea cups for a pound each, if you need to laugh I’ll look up the dirtiest joke I can find and read it in my amazing Irish accent, and if you need a hug well I’ll put on a big soft jumper and wrap you up until you feel better. You’re one of my favorite people Niall and I don’t want you upset when you could be happy instead.”_

_Niall went silent and thought about it for a few minutes. “Ya know what would make me feel better?” he asked._

_“Knowing you it’s either going to be booze or alcohol.” Harry said with a laugh._

_“I’ll be right back.” Niall said, pushing Harry’s legs off of him and running towards the back of the bus._

_A few minutes and a lot of mess later he came back with a ridiculously large sweater Maura had made for him the Christmas before. Harry glanced at it and sighed. “Ni, I’ll put that on but so help me if you tweet a picture I will bring Louis back in here and leave you two to go at it instead.”_

_“NO! I mean… I just needed a hug or somat. You promised like two minutes ago remember?” Niall said nervously._

_“Honestly, I thought you’d go for a pint instead.” Harry sighed._

_“Oh, never mind. It was stupid. I’ll just go put it up and we’ll go for a drink, yeah? Gimme a minute.” He said, turning away with tears stinging his eyes._

_Before he could turn all the way around however, Harry grabbed his arm, he dislodged the sweater from Niall’s hands and pulled it over his head. His hair turned into a train wreck with that one swift motion but he didn’t seem to mind. Instead he took Niall’s closest hand and led him to the sofa. When they sat down he pulled Niall awkwardly half onto his lap and held him close, all without saying a word. Niall laid there quiet and stiff for several moments but Harry never loosened his hug or said anything. When Niall started crying quietly into Harry’s shoulder he still didn’t say anything, only began to stroke his hair._

_This went on for almost an hour until Niall slumped against Harry’s shoulder and began to snore quietly. Harry very carefully laid Niall down with his head in the taller boys lap. He covered him up with a blanket that was on the back of the couch and then continued to stroke his hair. Only then did Harry speak, although it was more a whisper. “I heard it. I heard you say my name. You weren’t exactly quiet. I think that’s why Louis acted the way he did.”_

_Niall makes no move to show that he heard, only continues to pretend to sleep. ___

__

__Niall is so lost in thought he drives past the docks at first, which just costs him more time that he really doesn’t have. Finally he parks and sets off to find the harbor master. Eventually he finds a giant of a man with a beard so large and bushy it looked like it could be made of straw. The man points him with a hand like a paddle towards the Morrigan and he runs off, shouting a barely comprehensible “Thank you sir!” over his shoulder. The boat is nicer than he would have thought it would be. It looks about 10 meters long with a tall mast and a paint job that looks new. He practically leaps off the dock and onto the deck. Of course he has the sea legs of an infant and immediately falls on his bum. He takes a moment to stand and steady himself and then immediately runs towards the cabin. He knocks on the door several times before finally giving up and forcing it. The cabin is empty. “Fucking damn it all!” Niall shouts and then takes off back to his car._ _

__“Please Harry, please don’t have called the police. I really don’t want to hurt anyone over this.” He says out loud, but not to anybody._ _

__

__Harry walks into the hotel room Niall had gotten them, expecting his friend to be panicking on the floor or maybe even still unconscious. Niall is neither. He isn’t there at all actually and it puts Harry in an awkward position because he doesn’t want this to keep dragging on, but he also doesn’t want Niall to be somewhere hurt and lost. He walks back out to the parking lot hoping to find the small green car which Niall had used to kidnap him, which he had hidden from everybody somehow._ _

__He briefly considers calling the police and turning himself in to them, in order to sort everything out. This whole mess has gotten too out of hand to even comprehend. He wasn’t even sure how to go about telling the police anything quite honestly. Niall would go to jail for sure but Harry would be free and more importantly Niall could get the help he needs. This was all obviously some sort of mental breakdown and Niall needed to see a psychologist._ _

__“No, I can’t do that to him yet” Harry mutters to himself. “I can’t turn him in to the police until I understand what he’s doing and why.” Even after everything Niall has done he’s still Harry’s friend, his most important friend even. It has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he’s been in love with the Irish boy for nearly five years, or at least that’s what he tells himself. He’s hardly convinced._ _

__He sits back down on the bed and starts going through the events of the last 30 or so hours. None of it makes any sense at all. Niall is his best friend, but he’d handcuffed him to a car door and drugged him. A fire almost kills him and his friends, while he’s asleep none the less, and then Niall says it’s his fault. There is nothing that makes sense about any of it._ _

__In the end he decides to wait in the room. He refuses to go looking for Niall and instead tries to decide on the exact moment his life went to shit. “It was the X-factor.” he thinks to himself. “That’s where I met Niall. That’s where he lured me into a sense of complacency. That’s when he decided to kidnap me, he even said as much.”_ _

__Harry turns to the suitcases, the god damned suitcases. The suitcases that ruined what could have been a nice moment in the car crash that was his life right now. The suitcases that proved to him that Niall had been planning this for a long time. The suitcases were a symbol of Niall’s betrayal and how much their friendship had been a lie. And then his curiosity gets the better of him. He places both suitcases on the bed and unzips one. He never sees the man walk in the door he forgot to close, he never sees him pick up the lamp, and he never sees what caused him to suddenly black out._ _

__

__Niall gets to the hotel too late and finds a man standing over Harry’s unconscious form. He has only one eye and a matted mass of greasy brown hair. He stands several inches taller than Niall, but he’s got an obviously damaged leg. “Get away from him” Niall growls, the sound of it almost inhuman._ _

__“Stand down brother. I found him for ya, but if ya want me to keep quiet about it, you’d best calm down.”_ _

__“I said ‘Get away’ ferryman. Watching the objective, finding him if he goes missing, is my job. And he is, under no circumstance, to be harmed.” Niall said authoritatively._ _

__“Well well, look who’s reading me the riot act. Pretty boy pop prince thinks he knows the mission better than I do. Listen here boyo, I’ve been waiting for this a lot longer than you have. This boy here isn’t the main concern and you know it. Besides it’s not like I killed him, it’d take a lot more than me to do that and you know it.” The ferryman said._ _

__“You will NEVER touch him again. If you do I will have the council strip you of your rank and you will have nothing but the Morrigan, do you understand me?” Niall said, his voice devoid of any anger and instead taking on a cold and scary tone._ _

__“Sir, yes sir. I suppose that means you’ll carry him to the docks then?” It was not a question._ _

__“Get out of here. I’ll meet you at the docks at nightfall. Be ready to leave.” Niall said._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter isn't particularly interesting but it's necessary because soon, very soon, we'll find out what's actually going on. And I promise the next chapter will be up soon because I'm incredibly embarrassed it took this long.


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